1. Field
This technology relates generally to preparing poultry skin and, more particularly, to preparing poultry skin for breading or glazing
2. Background Art
Good adhesion of batter, breading, glaze or other products to the skin of a poultry product is important for those poultry products having such a coating applied. The skin of poultry has an outer layer referred to as the cuticle of the skin. Breading and other coating products tend to adhere better to the poultry product if the outer cuticle is removed. The skin of poultry has essentially three layers with the outer most layer being the Stratum Corneum (cuticle), the middle being the Stratum Germinativum, and the inner most being the dermis. It is commonly accepted that removal of the cuticle results in better adhesion of breading. A common method to remove the cuticle is to expose the skin to a high scalding temperature (≧60° C.), which results in removing the outer cuticle layer. Removing the cuticle improves adhesion of coating material because particles of the coating material can lodge between the protrusions and recesses of the Stratum Germinativum once the cuticle is removed. However, this high scalding process can reduce the yield of the poultry item by 4-6% and can result in skin discoloration if dehydrated during a later air chilling process.
A better method and apparatus is needed for achieving better coating adhesion to s poultry item that does not significantly reduce the yield of the poultry item.